Press Kit: Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote
Special Exhibition Celebrates Suffrage Centennial
Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery, National Archives Museum, Washington, DC, through April 10, 2022.
The National Archives celebrates the centennial of woman suffrage with a new exhibit, Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote.
American democracy dramatically expanded in 1920, when the newly ratified 19th Amendment extended the right to vote to millions of women. Though a landmark voting rights victory, this document did not open the polls to all women. Millions remained unable to vote for reasons other than sex. Rightfully Hers examines the relentless struggle of diverse activists throughout U.S. history to secure voting rights for all American women
This 3,000-square-foot exhibit showcases more than 90 items including records, artifacts, and photographs. Highlights include original World War I–era Red Cross Uniforms, a National Woman's Party banner, and a collection of political campaign buttons. The original 19th Amendment will be on limited display.
Rightfully Hers is the cornerstone of a nationwide initiative that includes free public programming, a national traveling exhibition, "pop-up" classroom displays, and expanded educational resources and lesson plans.
Rightfully Hers is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of Unilever, Pivotal Ventures, Carl M. Freeman Foundation in honor of Virginia Allen Freeman, AARP, AT&T, Ford Motor Company Fund, Facebook, Barbara Lee Family Foundation Fund at the Boston Foundation, Google, HISTORY ®, and Jacqueline B. Mars. Additional support for National Outreach and Programs provided by Denise Gwyn Ferguson, BMO Financial Group, Hearst Foundations, Maris S. Cuneo Foundation, FedEx, Bernstein Family Foundation, and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation/Ambassador Fay-Hartog Levin (Ret.).
Exhibit Promotional Video
Take a virtual tour of Rightfully Hers with curator Corinne Porter.
Related Online Resources
- Women’s Rights
- National Archives News: Women’s Voting Rights Exhibit Opens at National Archives
- Women’s History Special Topics
- Research Topics: Women
Related Traveling Exhibit
One Half of the People: Advancing Equality for Women is a traveling exhibit that draws on National Archives records to illustrate the involvement of American women to secure their essential citizenship rights.